Smithsonian Charged With Distorting Nixon’s History Through Incorrect Impeachment Assertion

Smithsonian Institution Allegedly Misstates Nixon’s Impeachment Status

The Smithsonian Institution may have inaccurately claimed that President Richard Nixon was impeached in a recently reopened exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

The “American Presidents” exhibition opened to the public on May 15, featuring a portrait of Nixon by renowned artist Norman Rockwell. Jim Byron, the president and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, addressed a letter to the gallery’s acting director, Elliot Gruber. In this letter, he contended that the biography next to Nixon’s portrait incorrectly states that he was impeached.

Byron’s letter points out that the text claims, “as a result of the investigation into the Watergate complex break-in and subsequent cover-up, Nixon was impeached on charges of obstruction of justice, abuse of office, and contempt of Congress.” While it accurately notes that Nixon was the first president to resign, Byron emphasized, “In fact, President Nixon was never impeached. He resigned on August 9, 1974, before the House voted on articles of impeachment.”

The context is quite interesting, as the House Judiciary Committee, which was then controlled by Democrats, adopted three articles of impeachment against Nixon in July 1974 following the Watergate scandal. However, he resigned less than two weeks later, before any votes could take place.

Byron expressed concern that previous labels in the exhibit had not addressed this error either. He urged the gallery to take prompt action to avoid misleading visitors regarding the legacy of the 37th president.

Having led the Nixon Foundation in various capacities since November 2021, Byron was also a senior advisor to the U.S. Archivist during the latter part of the Trump administration. The foundation maintains a mission to “carry President Richard Nixon’s legacy and vision into the 21st century.”